MACARONS

Macaron, macaroons… which do you prefer? You choose! Both are great in their own right — but anyone trying to put on his or her fancy pants will definitely go the macaron. Macarons have a light crispy shell, with a soft centre, and the traditional foot at the base. At our shop they get filled with jams, curds, flavoured butter creams or ganache.

MAKES 30 FILLED BISCUITS

8 egg whites

45 g (1½ oz) caster (superfine) sugar

1 teaspoon egg white powder

325 g (11½ oz) almond meal

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) icing (confectioners’) sugar

food colouring (optional)

filling of your choice

Using an electric mixer, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks. Add the sugar gradually, then the egg white powder, to make a nice firm meringue mixture.

Sift the almond meal and icing sugar through a fine sieve. Fold the meringue and the dry ingredients together; keep folding until the mixture falls back into itself without leaving a trace, ensuring all the dry ingredients are well incorporated. You want to keep the mixture on the firmer side, and not too runny; the longer you beat, the runnier it will get. At this stage you can add some colour to the mix if you want.

Put the mixture in a piping (icing) bag fitted with an 8 mm (³/₈ inch) plain nozzle. Line two large baking trays with baking paper. Pipe bulbs about 4 cm (1½ inches) round onto the baking trays, leaving space between each.

Now tap the trays gently — this releases any excess air and flattens the macarons slightly. Allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, or until a skin has formed.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 130ºC (250ºF/Gas 1). Bake the macarons for 10–15 minutes. To check if they are ready, lift one gently from the tray — if it comes clean away from the paper, the macarons are good to go.

Allow to cool, then match up pairs of macarons according to size and join with your favourite fillings (see below). We always double-fill the macarons using a butter cream or ganache to make a dam to hold a flavour-packed liquid filling — it’s well worth a try.

FUNKY FLAVOURS

Add different flavoured food essences to some creamy vanilla frosting, and pair with a jam or sweet jazzed-up curd. Here are some of our favourite combos…

•  Pistachio frosting and strawberry jam

•  Rose geranium frosting and raspberry jam

•  Chocolate ganache and passionfruit curd

•  Caramel frosting and caramel centre

•  Jasmine frosting and lemon curd

•  Violet frosting and boysenberry jam

MACARON MASTERY

The macarons will keep in an airtight container for 2 days once filled. Unfilled macarons can be frozen in an airtight container between sheets of baking paper for 3–4 weeks. They are easier to fill when frozen, and will take only about 10 minutes to thaw.